Nurturing wonder and curiosity in the Bay Area and beyond

Murderous Mushrooms

I decided to check out the annual Pt. Reyes National Seashore Fungus Fair last Sunday. Already grumpy from a fender-bender in the Bear Valley Visitor Center parking lot, Debbie Viess’ lecture, “Amanitarita’s Freaky and Fabulous Fungi” effectively turned my thoughts to murder. It certainly shed the illusion of mushrooms as charming abodes for prancing woodland critters. So without further ado, here are my Top 5 Murderous Mushrooms:

#5: I’m So Horny I Could Die

This innocent-looking fella self-digests. Yes, that’s right. It eats itself. Because of its shape and its gills being so crowded together, Coprinus comatus can’t just release its spores like other mushrooms. Instead, it dissolves itself into an inky mess to reproduce. That’s quite a trade-off to get laid.

#4: It’s a Trap!

Arthrobotrys dactyloides sets up snares made out of loops formed by its hyphae. When an unsuspecting nematode comes in contact with the loops, the loop constricts like a noose around the hapless nematode faster than you can say, “It’s a trap!”

#2: Night of the Living Tarantula

Ophiocordyceps caloceroides attacks the brain first, then feeds on non-vital tissue. It spreads through the spider’s body who, by this time is thinking, hey, something’s not right here. The fungus then kills the spider and continues to grow until it invades the softer tissue and strengthens the exoskeleton. When ready to reproduce, the fungus grows out of the spider and releases spores. The entire process lasts days. ‘Nuff said.

#1: Murder Mystery Mushrooms

While there are many poisonous mushrooms out there (with the infamous death cap topping the list), my ears perked up when Amanitarita proclaimed, “And this is a particularly good murder mystery mushroom.” Apparently, ingesting lethal webcaps from the genus Cortinarius result in delayed poisonings, potentially up to 3 weeks. In which time, you would have lined up a credible alibi or fled the country.

This also brought to mind a close runner-up featured in a Rosemary & Thyme episode, “Orpheus in the Undergrowth,” the common inkcap, a.k.a., tippler’s bane, which is poisonous only when consumed with alcohol. Murder plots that practically write themselves.

So there you have it – mushrooms that kill themselves, microscopic worms, each other, spiders and perish the thought, humans.

IF YOU GO:

Dates: The dates for the 12th annual Pt. Reyes National Seashore Fungus Fair in early 2017 have yet to be determined (the 11th annual fair was held on January 3, 2016)

Location: Bear Valley Visitor Center, Pt. Reyes National Seashore

Schedule: The 2017 schedule has yet to be determined (2016 events included forays, displays of dozens of species of fungi and public talks)